BuddyPress 12.0.0, expected to launch on December 6th or later after multiple delays, will integrate the BP Rewrites API into its core, altering URL structures. If you use BuddyPress with WPML, install the BP Classic add-on now to prepare your site and prevent issues. This add-on will stay in sleep mode and only activate after you update to BuddyPress 12.0, ensuring WPML features work as before.
What’s Changing in BuddyPress 12.0.0?
A major release, BuddyPress 12.0.0 is set to bring enhancements such as:
- Improved media management with Media Attachments
- Enhanced privacy features for member interactions
- Integration of blocks across all components, aligning with WordPress's block editor
Most significantly, BuddyPress 12.0.0 no longer makes BP Rewrites an optional add-on. It introduces the BP Rewrites API into the core BuddyPress plugin.
This new way of parsing URLs changes BuddyPress’ behavior on your site. It affects URL structures within BuddyPress and it affects compatibility with some plugins and themes that integrate with BuddyPress, including WPML.
To address these compatibility issues, the BuddyPress development team released the BP Classic Add-on.
Why You Need to Install the BP Classic Add-on
The BP Rewrites API is a major overhaul. Out of the box, WPML and BuddyPress Multilingual do not support these changes to BuddyPress websites.
If you use BuddyPress with WPML, you should install and activate the BP Classic Add-on on your site right away. BuddyPress will keep the activated BP Classic add-on in sleep mode and wake it up as soon as you upgrade to BuddyPress 12.0.
The BP Classic Add-on preserves the BP Legacy URL parser, which your site currently uses, and disables the new BP Rewrites API. This allows you to maintain multilingual features on your BuddyPress site without disruption.
Please note that you only need to install the BP Classic Add-On if you use the BuddyPress plugin with WPML. You do not need to install it if you use the BuddyBoss Platform with WPML.
How to Install the BP Classic Add-on
You can download the BP Classic Add-on from the WordPress repository.
Share Your Thoughts
Do you have questions or feedback about using WPML with BuddyPress 12.0.0? Leave us a comment below and we’ll reply.